The two features go hand in hand for the most part. If it is targeted to compete with the Keysight DSOX2000 series then having neither feature is understandable. Both of the features are a major reason I went with the Keysight 3000 instead of the 2000.

300MHz with passive probes works. And 50R through-terminators are hardly a big deal

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Protocol decoding and digital inputs optional

<sigh> Such a shame that scope manufacturers continue to think that protocol decode is optional. Especially when less useful things like FFT are typically standard.

mike:

I do understand arguments for and against this model. For instance, with the Tek USB3 spectrum analyzer, they sell an extremely powerful device and "give away" their software with the 17 basic measurements such a device can make. Then all of the fancier options and decodes cost money feature-by-feature until you're many thousands above the original price. Fine. I understand. Some of those features are downright awesome, and they are probably very difficult to implement properly.

But we're talking about protocol decoding. This is not rocket surgery. If I gave this oscilloscope, a pair of headphones, and a 12-pack of red bull to a 2nd or 3rd undergraduate computer science student they could knock out these protocol features in a weekend. The only reason that such features are still able to be sold as options is because the hardware is locked out against end-user programming. If someone made one of these oscilloscopes with an API, not only would protocol decode (and probably many other features) be available to everyone for free in the first week, by a month it would probably be capable of tons of other cool things that the manufacturer hasn't yet even imagined.

There is still a huge disconnect with the FOSS and the electronics hardware and test equipment sectors. FOSS isn't perfect, and it's not for everyone. But it's exactly the markets like hobbyists, semi-professionals, enthusiasts which have benefitted and contributed the most to projects in this sector. And it's exactly the same people who would stand to benefit here.

It's a bit of a shame none of the test equipment manufacturers have the inclination to stand up and innovate in this sector. It's not like this would lead to more effective reverse engineering of the hardware either. There is literally nothing to lose. Almost none of the IP that these companies have implemented in product are totally in the software domain.

My point is simply that pretty much everything that you're going to poke a scope into these days has at least one of I2C, SPI or UART. A scope is a general-purpose test instrument, and as such, should include features that are commonly needed as standard. You wouldn't expect features like zoom, pulse-width trigger, holdoff, USB storage, PC connectivity, roll mode etc. to be optional. I contend that it is high time that serial decode & trigger should be a standard feature to be expected in any scope that claims to be a general-purpose unit. If one major manufacturer did it, the others would follow. I am slightly disappointed that R&S has not been that manufacturer.

History and segmented memoryEquipped with the R&S®RTB-K15 and the R&S®RTM-K15 options, the R&S®RTB2000 and the R&S®RTM2000 of-fer a history function with a segmented memory of 160/460 Msample per channel that is unique in this class, covering both analog and digital channels. The memory can be divided into several steps (see table). When the ultra-segmented mode is activated, the blind time on the R&S®RTM2000 is reduced to less than 5 ?s.

Some feedback, that missing feature is the #1 reason I've recently ruled out a LeCroy Wavesurfer 30x4 for the next scope. I'm sure the multiplexed vertical channels work well, but there is no escaping the fact that it is one more button press to make a channel setting change that I don't have to make with separate controls. I would much prefer the scope be longer/wider or the controls smaller, whatever it takes, to get the separate channel controls.

But definitely Kudos on the big screen! The tiny 8.5 inch screen on the Keysight (Agisight?) 3000T series has been one of the show stoppers there so far, along with the teeny tiny memory.

Will you sue Dave if he/someone here attempts to hack it? Or is R&S presence to somehow make the while situation less uneasy? Looks like a nice scope but this price deflation isn't happening, which is a shame.

Given that R&S are the only company to ever approach me to have hack material removed from the website, I'd be willing to bet they would care.All the more reason to do it (BTW, they never did get back to me on exact which posts violated their copyright...)

That tell you who they think their competition is, or they are too scared to compare to any others?

The low end Lecroy 3000 is an outlier amongst the price class. But all those scopes above with this new R&S model offer some particular value to the customer, none are stupid purchases or particularly poor value if chose for their strengths (except possibly the Lecroy 2000)